From the Grassroot to the Tree Tops: How One Library has become Embedded in Online Learning

This presentation will show how a grassroots initiative has budded into the Florida International University (FIU) Libraries being an instrumental part of online learning. It will describe some of the marketing and outreach efforts that have been successful and share ideas on how to build alliances and networks with online faculty and students. Along with outreach efforts, the presentation will demonstrate some of the successful tools used to meet the needs of online students. Some of the these tools include becoming embedded in courses, building course and program specific Libguides, using Adobe Connect to reach students, creating simple YouTube videos, and creating more professional videos with FIU Online. The presentation will conclude with sharing some tips on how to keep the workload manageable when distance-learning programs are growing at the same time as library budgets and resources are shrinking.

MIUS News: Maps and Imagery User Services @ FIU Green Library: Volume 6, Issue 1 Spring 2015

Florida International University's Spring 2015 Maps and User Imagery Services Newsletter

Díaz-Ayala Library Travel Grants Now Available [Announcement]

This flyer announces the Díaz-Ayala Library Travel Grants for Spring and Summer 2013.

Digital signal processing implementation for near real-time wavelet transformation system for binary images

Communication has become an essential function in our civilization. With the increasing demand for communication channels, it is now necessary to find ways to optimize the use of their bandwidth. One way to achieve this is by transforming the information before it is transmitted. This transformation can be performed by several techniques. One of the newest of these techniques is the use of wavelets. Wavelet transformation refers to the act of breaking down a signal into components called details and trends by using small waveforms that have a zero average in the time domain. After this transformation the data can be compressed by discarding the details, transmitting the trends. In the receiving end, the trends are used to reconstruct the image. In this work, the wavelet used for the transformation of an image will be selected from a library of available bases. The accuracy of the reconstruction, after the details are discarded, is dependent on the wavelets chosen from the wavelet basis library. The system developed in this thesis takes a 2-D image and decomposes it using a wavelet bank. A digital signal processor is used to achieve near real-time performance in this transformation task. A contribution of this thesis project is the development of DSP-based test bed for the future development of new real-time wavelet transformation algorithms.

Construction and screening of A cDNA library for the C3 gene(s) of the Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma Cirratum)

Mammalian C3 is a complement protein which consists of an α chain (125kDa) and β chain (75kDa) held together by a disulfide bond. The a chain contains a conserved thiolester site which provides the molecule with opsonic properties. The protein is synthesized as a single pro-C3 molecule which is post-translationally modified. C3 genes have been identified in organisms from different phyla, however, the shark C3 gene remains to be cloned. Sequence data from the shark will contribute to understanding further the evolution of this key protein. To obtain additional sequence data for shark C3 genes a cDNA library was constructed and screened with a DIG-labeled C3 probe. Fifty clones were isolated and sequenced. Analysis identified four sequences that yielded positive alignments with C3 of a variety of organisms including human C3. Deduced amino acid sequence analysis confirmed a β/α cut site (RRRR), the CR3 and properdin binding sites, the catalytic histidine, and the reactive thiolester sequence. In the shark there are at least two C3-like genes as the gene sequence obtained is distinct from that previously described.

Using Community Outreach to Build Children’s Resiliency and Critical Literacy through Digital Tools

Grade three students used tablet computers with a pre-selected series of applications over a seven-month period at school and through a community afterschool program. The study determined that these students benefited from differentiated learning in the school environment and online collaborative play in the afterschool centre. Benefits of the exposure to digital tools included: intergenerational learning as children assisted both parents and teachers with digital applications; problem-solving; and enhanced collaborative play for students across environments. Although this study makes a contribution to the field of digital literacy and young learners, the researchers conclude further investigation is warranted, in regards to the inter-relationships between home, school and community as spaces for the learning and teaching of digital technologies.

Battered woman describing and showing her fear of her husband taken at battered women's safe house in New Jersey. Digital reproduction

General note: Title and date provided by Bettye Lane.

An Examination of Lotka’s law in the Field of Library and Information Studies

The purpose of this study was to test Lotka’s law of scientific publication productivity using the methodology outlined by Pao (1985), in the field of Library and Information Studies (LIS). Lotka’s law has been sporadically tested in the field over the past 30+ years, but the results of these studies are inconclusive due to the varying methods employed by the researchers. A data set of 1,856 citations that were found using the ISI Web of Knowledge databases were studied. The values of n and c were calculated to be 2.1 and 0.6418 (64.18%) respectively. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) one sample goodness-of-fit test was conducted at the 0.10 level of significance. The Dmax value is 0.022758 and the calculated critical value is 0.026562. It was determined that the null hypothesis stating that there is no difference in the observed distribution of publications and the distribution obtained using Lotka’s and Pao’s procedure could not be rejected. This study finds that literature in the field of library and Information Studies does conform to Lotka’s law with reliable results. As result, Lotka’s law can be used in LIS as a standardized means of measuring author publication productivity which will lead to findings that are comparable on many levels (e.g., department, institution, national). Lotka’s law can be employed as an empirically proven analytical tool to establish publication productivity benchmarks for faculty and faculty librarians. Recommendations for further study include (a) exploring the characteristics of the high and low producers; (b) finding a way to successfully account for collaborative contributions in the formula; and, (c) a detailed study of institutional policies concerning publication productivity and its impact on the appointment, tenure and promotion process of academic librarians.

Monitoring of Dynamic Bridge Behaviour Using Digital Image Correlation

Bridges are a critical part of North America’s transportation network that need to be assessed frequently to inform bridge management decision making. Visual inspections are usually implemented for this purpose, during which inspectors must observe and report any excess displacements or vibrations. Unfortunately, these visual inspections are subjective and often highly variable and so a monitoring technology that can provide quantitative measurements to supplement inspections is needed. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a novel monitoring technology that uses digital images to measure displacement fields without any contact with the bridge. In this research, DIC and accelerometers were used to investigate the dynamic response of a railway bridge reported to experience large lateral displacements. Displacements were estimated using accelerometer measurements and were compared to DIC measurements. It was shown that accelerometers can provide reasonable estimates of displacement for zero-mean lateral displacements. By comparing measurements in the girder and in the piers, it was shown that for the bridge monitored, the large lateral displacements originated in the steel casting bearings positioned above the piers, and not in the piers themselves. The use of DIC for evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation of the LaSalle Causeway lift bridge in Kingston, Ontario was also investigated. Vertical displacements were measured at midspan and at the lifting end of the bridge during a static test and under dynamic live loading. The bridge displacements were well within the operating limits, however a gap at the lifting end of the bridge was identified. Rehabilitation of the bridge was conducted and by comparing measurements before and after rehabilitation, it was shown that the gap was successfully closed. Finally, DIC was used to monitor the midspan vertical and lateral displacements in a monitoring campaign of five steel rail bridges. DIC was also used to evaluate the effectiveness of structural rehabilitation of the lateral bracing of a bridge. Simple finite element models are developed using DIC measurements of displacement. Several lessons learned throughout this monitoring campaign are discussed in the hope of aiding future researchers.

DIGITAL HISTORY: DESIGNING VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT CRITICAL THINKING AND IDEA EXCHANGE, MOTIVATE AND ENGAGE USERS

In my thesis I argue for the use of system designs that: a) open access to a variety of users and allow for collaboration and idea exchange, while at the same time, b) are designed to motivate and engage users. To exemplify my proposed systems design, I created an interactive and open digital history project focused on Romanian culture and identity during Communism, from 1947, when the Communist Party took power by forcing the King to abdicate, until the revolution in 1989, which marked the end of Communism in Romania (Gilberg, 1990, Boia, 2014). In my project, I present the possibility to recreate Habermas’ notion of public sphere and “the unforced force of the better argument” (Habermas, 1989) and Dewey’s (2004) understanding of democracy as a mode of associated living imbued of the spirit of inquiry within contemporary digital history projects. Second, I outline system designs that motivate and engage users, by satisfying the basic psychological needs outlined in Ryan and Deci’s (2000) self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Two more concepts are included to complete the proposed digital history project design: presence (Ryan, Rigby, & Przybylski, 2006) and learner hero (Rigby & Przybylski, 2009).

Digital geometric-sequence control technique for bidirectional dual active bridge DC-DC converters used in future electric vehicles

Bidirectional DC-DC converters are widely used in different applications such as energy storage systems, Electric Vehicles (EVs), UPS, etc. In particular, future EVs require bidirectional power flow in order to integrate energy storage units into smart grids. These bidirectional power converters provide Grid to Vehicle (V2G)/ Vehicle to Grid (G2V) power flow capability for future EVs. Generally, there are two control loops used for bidirectional DC-DC converters: The inner current loop and The outer loop. The control of DAB converters used in EVs are proved to be challenging due to the wide range of operating conditions and non-linear behavior of the converter. In this thesis, the precise mathematical model of the converter is derived and non-linear control schemes are proposed for the control system of bidirectional DC-DC converters based on the derived model. The proposed inner current control technique is developed based on a novel Geometric-Sequence Control (GSC) approach. The proposed control technique offers significantly improved performance as compared to one for conventional control approaches. The proposed technique utilizes a simple control algorithm which saves on the computational resources. Therefore, it has higher reliability, which is essential in this application. Although, the proposed control technique is based on the mathematical model of the converter, its robustness against parameter uncertainties is proven. Three different control modes for charging the traction batteries in EVs are investigated in this thesis: the voltage mode control, the current mode control, and the power mode control. The outer loop control is determined by each of the three control modes. The structure of the outer control loop provides the current reference for the inner current loop. Comprehensive computer simulations have been conducted in order to evaluate the performance of the proposed control methods. In addition, the proposed control have been verified on a 3.3 kW experimental prototype. Simulation and experimental results show the superior performance of the proposed control techniques over the conventional ones.

Disability in the Digital Age: Reconfiguring Access, Inclusion and Equality

There is an abundance of research that examines disability and technology in the context of computers and the Internet, however few have examined disability and mobile devices. Also largely absent from existing literature are the voices of disabled people themselves. This dissertation draws upon science and technology studies (STS) and disability studies to address these gaps by conducting in-depth qualitative research that examines disabled people’s experiences using smartphones and tablets. At its core, this dissertation aims to provide insight on the following: 1) an understanding of how disability is perceived in the digital age and the subjective meanings of access, inclusion and equality; 2) the ways in which mobile devices impact the lived experience of disability; and 3) how perspectives in disability studies and STS can be applied to understand the relationship between the body, disability and technology. The empirical contribution of this research draws from participant diaries and interviews with disabled people, as well as from open-ended questionnaires completed by mobile app developers. The concept of ‘subjectivities of disability’ is introduced to refer to the uniquely personal and individual experience of disability. Findings reveal that mobile device use amongst disabled people redefines their subjectivities of disability through socio-technical interactions whereby disabled people use their devices in ways that are integrated into their everyday lives and positively shapes how they view themselves in relation to their experience of disability. The responses from app developers reveal that there is a place for disability in the mobile market and that disabled people play a key role in making apps accessible. The data suggests that mobile devices facilitate access, inclusion and equality by integrating the body in ways that recognize and accommodate diversity. The results furthermore make it clear that the interaction between disabled people and mobile devices takes on an embodied and social characteristic. This research concludes that both on an individual level and collectively, disabled people are engaging with digital artifacts in ways that promote agency and independence as well as reshaping how disability is experienced and perceived in the digital age.

Governing Big Data: The Political Economy of Power, Knowledge and Consumer Finance in the Digital Age

This dissertation offers a critical international political economy (IPE) analysis of the ways in which consumer information has been governed throughout the formal history of consumer finance (1840 – present). Drawing primarily on the United States, this project problematizes the notion of consumer financial big data as a ‘new era’ by tracing its roots historically from late nineteenth century through to the present. Using a qualitative case study approach, this project applies a unique theoretical framework to three instances of governance in consumer credit big data. Throughout, the historically specific means used to govern consumer credit data are rooted in dominant ideas, institutions and material factors.

Hemeroteca digital temática: socialização da informação em cinema

MEDEIROS, Rildeci; MELO, Erica S. F.; NASCIMENTO, M. S. Hemeroteca digital temática: socialização da informação em cinema.In:SEMINÁRIO NACIONAL DE BIBLIOTECAS UNIVERSITÁRIAS,15.,2008,São Paulo. Anais eletrônicos... São Paulo:CRUESP,2008. Disponível em: http://www.sbu.unicamp.br/snbu2008/anais/site/pdfs/3018.pdf

Higher Education in the XXI century: challenging everything and also the library role

We are already living in a new time. Our time makes both the digital and society move from an era where institutions and people have stable and fixed roles (at least most of the people, most of the time). Considering the context of a networked society and on the verge of the so called digital transformation, both universities and their library services need to provide best answers to incoming challenges. The talk will follow a discussion of the ways in what such transformation can evolve and what are some of the main challenges to face.